1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particular to a low insertion force electrical connector.
2. Description of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,030 discloses an edge card connector in FIGS. 4A-4C thereof having an insulative housing (10) and six pairs of opposite contacts (28, 30) retained in the insulative housing (10). The insulative housing (10) defines a slot (24) for receiving an inserted PCB (26) and six pairs of recesses (32, 34). Each of the terminals (28, 30) includes a free end portion (40), a projecting portion (42) and an outer end portion (36) connecting the free end portion (40) and the projecting portion (42). Each of the contacts (28, 30) is received in a corresponding recess (32, 34) with the free end portion (40) and the projection portion (42) projecting into the slot (24) for contacting with the inserted PCB (26).
However, if the contacts (28, 30) are made of materials with excellent rigidity, the insertion of the PCB (26) becomes difficult and the large mating force derived from excellent rigidity will damage contact pads on the inserted PCB (26). On the contrary, if the contact portions do not have good rigidity, after a period of use, the resiliency of the contacts (28, 30) will decrease so that the free end portion (40) and the projecting portion (42) cannot securely engage with the inserted PCB (26).
Hence, an electrical connector capable of providing reliable contact with an inserted PCB but will not damage the contact pads on the PCB is desired.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having a movable sliding guide for actuating conductive terminals thereof to connect a printed circuit board inserted thereto in a low insertion force.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector comprises an insulative housing, a sliding guide movably received in the housing, a plurality of terminals retained in the insulative housing, and a movable latching device assembled to the housing. The sliding guide defines a receiving recess in a center thereof for insertion of a daughter PCB, a plurality of receiving channels communicating with the receiving recess. Each of the terminals includes an inclined arm and a contacting portion at a free end of the inclined arm. When the daughter PCB is not fully inserted into the receiving recess, contact pads of the daughter PCB are not connected with the contacting portions. When the daughter PCB is fully inserted into the receiving recess, the daughter PCB pushes the sliding guide forwardly and the sliding guide presses against the inclined arms of the terminals so that the contacting portions move inwardly to electrically connect with the contact pads of the daughter PCB.